


Prying Eyes

by hopewritessometimes



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Adorable Dustin Henderson, Background Nancy Wheeler, Billy Hargrove Being an Asshole, Childhood Friends, Dustin Henderson is a Good Friend, F/M, Flashbacks, It's a Set Up, POV Third Person, POV Third Person Limited, Past Steve Harrington/Nancy Wheeler, Post-Season/Series 02, Pre-Season/Series 03, everyone ships it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-07
Updated: 2019-08-07
Packaged: 2020-08-11 15:36:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20155951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hopewritessometimes/pseuds/hopewritessometimes
Summary: a request, "people are staring" with steve harrington.  a series of flashbacks containing the friendship of steve and y/n and some otherwise embarrassing moments, if they didn’t have each other.





	Prying Eyes

**Author's Note:**

> this fic includes a lot of flashback sub sections, including one where a kid pees their pants ( fair warning ) but nothing graphic really. au-ish.

They say that during a near death experience your whole life flashes before your eyes. Apparently, during your most embarrassing moments, the world decided to cease movement at all. And everything was just focused on that one moment in time, and even if it was only ten seconds -- it felt like it lasted forever. And those moments have prying eyes who can’t seem to stop looking at everything as it happens. 

Alternatively, Y/N would say there were three times ( definitely more, but three most notable ones ) Steve Harrington came to her rescue, and three times she came to his. And one time they forgot about the world and embarrassment altogether 

  


The Day Steve and Y/N Met. 

September 7th, 1971. First day of kindergarten. 

Y/N had just moved to the new town, not even a week before the first day of school. She had been dropped off from the bus at Hawkins Elementary School promptly on time, and she looked around the crowd of kids as they walked into school. She wrung her hands together as she nervously walked into the building with everyone else. Her mother had taken her to the school two days before to show her how to get to her classroom. But, in the beginning of school day chaos, Y/N got shuffled down in the wrong hallway and didn’t know where to go. 

Not knowing where she was in the building, and not having a friend, Y/N began to panic. She started crying in the hallway as everyone else walked into their classrooms. Some older kids stared at her as they past, laughing at the young girl who was lost. 

The bell rang, and Y/N jumped. The hallway was empty, aside from her. Could she make it back to the entrance of the school? Maybe if she walked back that way she could get to Miss Kosner’s classroom, where she was supposed to be. Spinning around the hallway she stood in, Y/N looked for anything that could help her mark where she was. Noticing the yellow arrow on the wall, she remembered her mom telling her that they were posted in the halls to guide kids back to the front of the building. 

Y/N took off full speed, following the arrows and finally she was back at the front of the school. But, since she was running so fast, she couldn’t stop herself and bumped into another kid who had been walking into the building. 

“Ow.” both children said as they hit the floor, looking at each other. 

Hiccuping, Y/N apologized. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I didn’t see you! I don’t know where I’m s’pposed to go.” She was still crying a bit, breathing fast as she looked over at the kid she’d hit. 

“Are you okay? Don’t be sad!” The boy said, crawling over to her and looking at her worried. “Do you have a boo-boo? My mommy usually kisses mine better. She was late this morning.” He explained, glancing down at his hands on the tiled floor. “Don’t be sad, I’m Steve.” He reached out his hand like he’d seen his father do many times before--it was how his dad greeted many people. A handshake. 

Y/N looked at him carefully, tilting her head to the side as she studied him. “I’m Y/N.” she said after a moment, looking down at his hand and then putting hers in his. 

“There you are!” an adult voice called from the office doorway, looking relieved as she saw the two kids on the floor. Racing over, her heels clicked on the floor as she made her way to the children. “Are you two okay? What happened?” she asked kindly, helping both kids off the floor. 

“I got lost.”

“My mom just left.” 

She sighed, shaking her head as she looked at both kids. Deciding they were both unharmed, she smiled. “I’m Miss Rachel, I work in the main office. Are you Y/N Devereaux?” she pointed toward the girl who nodded her head, then turned to the boy. “And Steve Harrington, right?” when the boy nodded she stood up straight, holding out her hands for each kid to take. “Well, Miss. Kosner’s been looking for you both. Let’s get you to the classroom, okay?” 

At the door of the classroom, Miss Rachel left the two kids once she saw them settle down at their long tables. 

“Well, let’s welcome our new friends. Class, meet Steve Harrington and Y/N Devereaux.” The teacher said. “Today we’re going to play a game to get to know all our new friends, doesn’t that sound like fun?” 

Y/N turned to look at Steve who was smiling. When he turned to look at her, she smiled back at him. “Don’t worry, Y/N. We can play together.” 

The Day Y/N Had an Accident. 

October 31st, 1973.

Halloween was never Y/N’s favorite holiday, she was too scared for everything that seemed to be lurking in the corners. And, on this particular Halloween, Y/N had been at recess listening to one of the older students telling everyone else a story about a ghost. The school’s upstairs girls bathroom was haunted, and every Halloween the ghost would pick one student to take and keep until the next year. 

So, Y/N sat at her desk in the classroom watching the clock closely. She needed to pee, but she couldn’t get up to go to the bathroom--not when the ghost might pick _her_. 

She could definitely hold it. 

It was afternoon snack time and Y/N went to grab the pack her mom put in her napsack. 

“Y/N peed!” a student called out. Y/N stopped and turned around, looking down at herself. And it looked as though she had, her pant leg was stained with liquid. As the students laughed, Y/N began to cry, hiding her face in her hands. The teacher came forward, telling all the students to stop laughing and go back to their desks, but no one left. Y/N could feel all the eyes on her and the sound of laughter echoed in her ears. 

“Look, Steve peed his pants!” 

Y/N looked up from behind the teacher’s arm and saw Steve, sitting at his desk with a bit of a puddle on the floor beneath him. 

The teacher left Y/N’s side and looked out into the hallway, grabbing an aid to help. The aid took Y/N and Steve down to the nurse’s office where the two waited on one of the sick beds for their parents to drop off clothes. 

Y/N sat still and looked down at her feet kicking them a little bit back and forth. 

“Are you okay?” Steve asked quietly. Y/N turned her head to look at him. “Everyone was staring at you and I know you don’t like that. So I grabbed Elizabeth’s water bottle.”

“You fake peed your pants?” Y/N gasped, her eyes widening as she looked at him. 

“If everyone was looking at me...they’d stop looking at you.” 

“Why did you do that?” 

“Because I don’t like when people laugh at you. You’re my best friend.” 

The Day Steve Met Basketball.

December 8th, 1977. 

Usually during gym, Steve and Y/N stayed on the sidelines and weren’t picked. Y/N because she wasn’t the sportiest. Steve probably because everyone knew he wouldn’t let Y/N be on the sidelines alone. So, on the day Y/N had been in the nurse during the beginning of the class, Steve had been one of the first team picks. 

Halfway through the class, Y/N came back from the nurse and was feeling a lot better. She went to open the door to the gym and looked in, seeing Steve on the basketball floor dribbling the ball back and forth between him and some of the other kids in their sixth grade class. Y/N stood there for a minute, just watching, before heading into the room. 

Steve had just tossed the ball to one of his teammates when he saw her walk into the gym. Y/N was talking to the gym teacher, handing the man a note from the nurse and then she took a seat down on the sidelines. Steve was about to call her name to say hi when he got hit in the face. 

Y/N had been looking down at her book when she heard a loud bang. She heard people calling Steve’s name and she jumped up from the seat. “Oh my _god_.” she muttered to herself as she raced over, pushing through the people and looking down at her best friend. “Steve?”

“Y/N.” Steve groaned, blinking his eyes as he grabbed her hand and sat up. 

“Are you okay?” she asked, looking at his already bruising eye. 

“Yeah. How bad is it?” 

“Not so bad. Can you stand up?” Y/N stood up, holding out her hands to pull him up. When he seemed to almost fall back over, she put her hands on his chest to steady him. “Let’s get you to the nurse.” She led him out the gymnasium and down the hallway. 

“Seriously, Y/N, how bad is it?” Steve repeated once they were alone in the hallway. 

“It’s more of a bruise to your ego. I don’t think your nose is broken or anything, so you don’t need to worry about that.” Y/N said, looking up at him. “Don’t worry, everyone will still pick you to play next time.” 

“I did kind of like it. And thanks for getting me out of there.” 

“And let someone else take my dumb best friend to the nurse? Not a chance.” 

The Time Steve and Y/N Danced. 

December 20th, 1979.

School was out until the new year, except for the Snow Ball. The school held it on the last day before winter break every year. And this was their last year in middle school, so Steve had convinced Y/N to go. She’d gotten all dressed up, a navy blue dress with some silver colored stars and bright silver shoes too. 

Y/N’s mother dropped her off at the front of the middle school and she walked in, looking around to see if she could spot Steve. After all, she was here for him right? But there he was, talking to his basketball buddies. Y/N waved and Steve waved back, but he didn’t make any move to head over in her direction. 

Y/N glanced down at her feet and moved over to the side, sitting down next to someone she didn’t know well. Nancy wasn’t in her class, she was a year younger, but they started talking, and then before she knew it Y/N was up and dancing with a new group of friends. 

Nancy Wheeler made Y/N feel included in the group she’d been sitting at. And they all moved around the dance floor to the latest music they knew all the words to and giggling when they looked like idiots. 

When a slow song came on, everyone was pairing up and Y/N stood awkwardly in the middle of the dance floor. Nancy had been claimed by Jonathan Byers, one of her friends. And Y/N began walking off the dance floor when someone grabbed her hand. 

“Can I have this dance?” 

Y/N turned her head to look at Steve, biting her lip. She hadn’t seen him all night long, and now here he was. Saving her from yet another embarrassing moment of walking off the dance floor. 

“Come on, Y/N. I haven’t seen you all night.” Steve pled with her, giving his best friend the biggest and best puppy dog eyes he had. 

“Not my fault you were too busy hanging out with your teammates to spend time with me.” Y/N said, teasing him as she spoke and turned around fully so they could dance properly. Which mostly involved their hands together and one hand resting on her waist and the other on his shoulder as they awkwardly swayed to the song. When Steve looked like he was about to protest, Y/N giggled. “I’m just kidding, Steve. Besides, I made friends.” she explained with a shrug and a grin. 

“But I’m still the best, right?”

‘The very best, Steve.” Y/N promised, which made him grin right back at her. 

After a couple of minutes, Steve cleared his throat and looked back at Y/N, “You look nice, Y/N.” 

“So do you. I like the jacket.” Y/N said, playing with the collar of his basketball team’s jacket Steve wore. 

“It’s pretty cool, right?” 

“I think the guy wearing it is what makes it cool, but yeah. It’s a cool jacket too.” 

“You always say the best things, Y/N.” 

“What are best friends for, Steve?” 

When Billy Met His ( Verbal ) Match in Y/N. 

November 1st, 1984. 

Y/N had been in the gymnasium watching basketball practice because one of her friends was on the school newspaper staff and they were talking about the team and the chances of winning the upcoming games. Plus, Y/N and Steve were still close friends, so she’d often hang around until he was done with practice and then they would do homework together. At least when he didn’t have plans with Nancy after school. 

Y/N’s nose was in a book and she paid little attention to what was going on the court, until her friend smacked her leg. 

“What was that for?” Y/N exclaimed, turning her attention to her friend. 

“Billy just checked Steve into the ground.” Her friend explained, pointing toward the court where the new kid Billy Hargrove stood over Steve. He looked to be saying something, but Y/N wasn’t close enough to hear it. 

“What happened?” she asked her friend, not taking her eyes off of the pair until the coach blew his whistle and told the guys to hit the showers and practice was over. 

“I don’t know, but I wouldn’t go down there Y/N.” 

But she was already out of her seat, hopping off the bleachers and walking toward Steve to grab him before he went into the locker room. Steve’s face softened when he saw her come up and he smiled at her. “Hey, I didn’t see you here.” 

“Well, Lizzie had to cover you guys for the paper so I figured I’d tag along. Do you want to study after you get cleaned up?” What she really wanted to know was what happened between him and Billy, but she wasn’t going to ask that right then. 

Steve shook his head, “I’m not up for the company. I’ll call you later if I change my mind.” He didn’t want to explain to his best friend what happened when Nancy pulled him out of practice shortly before that. But he could tell from the way she looked at him she figured something was up. Before she could get any words out, Y/N was cut off by Billy. 

“King Steve has two girls? Damn, I guess he may be a King after all.” Billy chuckled as he shouldered past Steve on his way to the locker room, winking at Y/N and spinning around to get one last look. 

“Can it, Hargrove.” Steve growled at him, moving protectively in front of Y/N. “She’s my best friend, don’t talk about her like that.” 

“Best friend or _best friend_? Cause if she’s not spoken for, I’ll ask her out.” Billy lost all interest in heading toward the bathroom right then, eyes landing on Y/N as he smirked. 

Steve went to step forward, but Y/N put her hand on his shoulder and tugged him back. “Don’t.” she whispered to her friend before looking at the menacing teen before her. Her attention fully on him, she looked at him. “You must be new, because you don’t talk to people like that.” 

“Who says, sweetheart? Seems like some of the girls really love how I talk to ‘em.” 

“Let me rephrase. You don’t talk to _me_ like that. Ever again, I don’t care if you’re the last guy on the planet. You have no right to talk to me, or to insinuate anything that’s going on between me and Steve. Steve has a girlfriend, who’s one of my best friends. And, believe me when I say this, he’s a much better guy than you. So don’t talk to him like that again. And don’t talk to me...ever.” When Y/N finished her speech, she looked at Billy ( who hadn’t moved ) and raised her eyebrows at him. “Did you hear me?” 

“Watch your mouth, bitch.” Billy spat out at her. But Y/N just smiled sweetly at him, shaking her head at his words. Behind her, Y/N could tell Steve was pissed, but she wouldn’t let him talk. After a beat of silence, Billy spoke again, “What are you smiling for?” 

“Because you’re so not worth my time, _new guy_.” Y/N finished, waving goodbye and then turning around to smile at Steve and head out the back door of the gym. 

Graduation Night. 

June 21st, 1985. 

Y/N was tapping her foot in her seat as she glanced around at the rest of her graduating class. They did it. High school was over. And soon, once the mayor of Hawkins was done with his speech, they would officially be Hawkins High Class of 1985. 

The marching band played, everyone jumped out of their seats and Y/N wormed her way through the crowded stage to her friends to say goodbye. Hugging each one and promising to stay in touch with letters and phone calls and possible road trip visits, they parted ways. Each on to whatever life brought them next. 

Smiles were on everyone’s faces, and the crowd started moving toward the reception hall for the big dinner. Y/N spotted her family and started to walk toward them when she saw Steve hanging back, still sitting in his seat on the stage. He was looking off into the distance. She held a finger up to her family, apologizing, as she turned around and headed back to where he sat. 

Tapping him with her foot, Y/N smiled down at Steve when he looked up at her. “Why so glum?” She took the seat next to him and put her hand on his shoulder. When he didn’t answer right away, Y/N poked his cheek. “You can tell me anything. What are best friends for anyway?” 

“My parents didn’t show.” he said, looking at her with a sad smile. “I graduated and they didn’t come.” 

Her heart sunk at his words and she put her arm around him, pulling him to her in a hug. “I’m sorry, Steve. But, hey, you still graduated. Isn’t that something to celebrate?” 

He shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know what I’m gonna do with my life, Y/N.” 

She looked over at her family, still waiting by the entrance and turned back to Steve whispering. “Me either.” she giggled. 

He blinked, looking at her. “You don’t?” 

“Nah. Not for sure, yet. But, that’s not important.” She stood up from the seat and held out her hands for Steve to grab. “What’s important right now, is that you and I, Y/N Devereaux and Steve Harrington, we graduated high school. And I will not see you mope tonight.” Steve put his hands in hers and let Y/N tug him to his feet. Grinning, Y/N looked at him and continued to speak. “So, let’s go. You’ll sit with us. Mom thinks of you like one of the family anyway.” 

The Night The Kids Got Steve to Confess His Feelings for Y/N. 

October 31st, 1985. 

A lot of things happen in October in Hawkins. Most of them, are things people don’t know about. Things that some people tend to keep secret. When Steve got a call at the landline at work, he knew something was wrong. 

“Steve, it’s for you. A Dustin?” his co-worker said, handing the chord phone to him before walking off. 

“Steve?” Dustin called out, sounding frantic. 

“Dustin, why are you calling me at work?” Steve leaned against the wall, sighing as he spoke into the phone. “What’s wrong?” 

“Something happened. Just get to El’s as soon as possible.” 

And then Dustin hung up the phone leaving Steve to think the worst thing possible. He ripped off his work hat and apron before clocking out and telling his co-worker something happened and he needed to go home right then. 

He didn’t waste any time getting to the Hopper residence, knocking on the door and walking inside to find...

It was empty. 

Steve shook his head, “What sick fucking prank is this?” he called out into the empty living room. There were no lights on, other than the front porch and Steve looked around for Dustin. “Dustin? Jane? Other shitheads?” 

“Steve?” a voice from behind him called out. 

When he turned around he stopped short. He’d seen Y/N a lot since graduation. Both had stuck around Hawkins. Steve was working at the new mall and she was staying at home to cut costs for university. And they’d been spending a lot of time together, especially once Steve got his own place. Y/N had been the one to help him decorate things and move in, along with the kids. 

Maybe it was around that time that Steve realized he’d developed feelings for his best friend. 

And, around that time, he realized he’d be stupid to act on them because if you didn’t like him back he would lose you. And he needed his best friend more than he needed her to know he was in love with her. 

“Y/N? What are you doing here?” 

“Jane called, asked me to come over. Said Chief Hopper was going to be working late and she didn’t want to be alone.” she explained, taking the steps up the porch and looking at Steve. She looked at him, and right then Steve knew she could tell something was up. Blinking, she put her hand on his shoulder. “What’s wrong?” 

Letting out a breath of air, Steve shook his head. “Nothing. I got a call from Dustin, he said something happened and they needed me.” 

After a moment of silence, Y/N and Steve looked around. Neither of them could see the teenagers. 

They were hidden just up the top of the stair case where they could all see and hear everything that was happening. Dustin had decided this plan was going to need to commence ASAP because Steve wouldn’t stop talking about Y/N. And they all figured ( hoped ) she felt the same way about him. 

But when Eleven had called Dustin on the walkie two nights ago, telling him Y/N had said something about having feelings for her best friend, Dustin put the plan into action. And they all wanted it to work out. 

Moving away from Steve Y/N turned and walked into the house. “I didn’t see any lights on. Which is odd, since Jane said she was home. _Jane?”_

Jane made a move to answer her, but Dustin had clamped a hand over her mouth and Max put a finger to her lips to tell her to be quiet. The plan was going to work. 

“She called me like five minutes ago.” Y/N said, moving to flip the light switch by the door on. 

“_Damn it Dustin_.” Steve muttered under his breath before taking a step toward Y/N. “It’s a set up.” 

Y/N turned to look at Steve, she hadn’t turned the lights on yet, and squinted to see him better in the darker entryway. “A set up?” 

Steve cleared his throat, which suddenly felt dry. Y/N looked a little concerned, but he waved a hand at her to tell her he was fine. “A set up. I might have let Dustin in on a secret of mine.” 

“And he set up a plan to get you and me to the Hopper’s residence because of it? Steve, that makes no sense.” 

“I’m in love with you, Y/N.” 

“Holy shit!” 

The exclamation came from the top of the stairs, Dustin knew that Steve liked her, a lot, but _love_? He hadn’t expected that. Steve turned his attention toward the staircase, moving Y/N’s hand and flicking on the lights. He caught hurried movement away from the stairs, but didn’t say anything. 

Apparently Y/N didn’t hear anything because she didn’t flinch from the sound above. In fact, everything seemed to stop. Like when she was a kid and she’d get embarrassed over something. 

“What?” 

“I’m in love with you. I don’t know when it happened. I just...I don’t know. It’s stupid, Y/N. You’re my best friend and I know you deserve way better than me. But I think I’ve liked you a little bit since you toppled me down that first day of kindergarten. Which is crazy, cause I don’t even think I knew what it meant to like someone back then, but you looked so scared and I just wanted to help you and ever since then being your friend has been the best thing that’s ever happened in my life. Through all the crazy parental bullshit and the otherworldly stuff, _you_ have been there. Always. And I...it would really help me if you said something so I don’t keep talking.” Steve finished, looking at Y/N with a worried look. Had he said too much? Did he scare her off? Lose her friendship forever? When she didn’t talk, Steve put his hands on her arms and took a step closer. “Please say something, Y/N.” 

“I love you too, Steve.”

His ears turned red. He could feel his whole face heating up. “Since when?” 

“Since that day you got hit in the face with the basketball and I realized you were sitting on the sidelines so I didn’t have to sit there alone.” Y/N said softly, almost afraid to speak up. Was it possible that Steve had actually felt this way for her too and she just didn’t know it? “And then you got popular and we were still friends but I didn’t want to make you lose out on anything because of me. And then you and Nancy and she’s one of my best friends too. And you guys were so happy I just kind of pushed it back and forgot it. But I’ve been feeling all these old feelings recently and I was just nervous and worried about telling you because...”

Steve cut her off with a chuckle, “Because you didn’t want to lose me as a friend, either?” 

She nodded her head. 

“Well kiss her, Steve!” 

“Yeah, kiss!” 

“Kiss! Kiss!” 

Steve rolled his eyes at the commotion upstairs, and he was already leaning in to kiss her when Y/N kissed him first. Neither of them caring about the hooting and hollering coming from upstairs, which may have normally embarrassed them. But they just didn’t pay any attention. 

After they broke apart, Y/N felt the world coming back to her and realized that the teens were just upstairs. She muttered, “**People are staring**.” 

Steve laughed, looking at Y/N with a smile. “Then let’s get out of here.” he turned to look at the staircase and up at the teens. “If you’ll excuse us, I’m going to take Y/N out on a date unless there’s actually something you need us for.” 

Getting no response, Steve looped his arm around Y/N’s shoulders and kissed the top of her head as he walked out the door. Holding his hand, Y/N looked at him out of the corner of her eye. 

“What did you mean _otherworldly stuff_?” 


End file.
